Democratic Erosion University Course Student Blog

Students enrolled in our course are encouraged to write for the course blog, and to read and comment on posts from students at other participating universities. The blog offers students the opportunity to analyze current events through the lens of the theory and case studies they engage with through the course.

Donald Trump the Nazi Reincarnate?: Godwin’s Law and How This Phenomenon is Counterproductive to Understanding Democratic Erosion

What do we hope to accomplish when comparing President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler, a tyrannical perpetrator of genocide?

The Russia-Ukraine War Bodes Poorly for Democracy, But Not in the Way You Think

The Russia-Ukraine War is a serious threat to global democracy through the growing wave of isolationism in the United States, an entity that has typically been at the forefront of fighting authoritarianism across the world.

The Trump Administration’s Attack on USAID

The Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID, increase concerns about democratic backsliding as it could result in a trend with the executive undermining institutional legitimacy.

Do Competing Foreign Interests Dissuade Democratic Progress?

Nov 24, 2023 | Northeastern University

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the fall of Yugoslavia, many nations abandoned their communist alliances and ideologies, and flocked to Western alliances...

Scapegoating and Civil Liberties: How the Ugandan Anti-LGBTQ Bill is Dragging Down Democracy

Nov 22, 2023 | Northeastern University

“Something evil has been put into society. We would be attacked, we would not be safe, Uganda is not safe”, says Diane, a young Ugandan woman forced to flee the country due...

The Delegitimization of Journalists and the News Media in the United States

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

The proliferation of disbelief in the news media in the United States has caused our democracy to erode right before our eyes. We have all heard the term “fake news” before. We know that certain...

Midterm Elections for Statewide Election Officials Could Spell Trouble for 2024

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

In the aftermath of the 2020 Presidential election and President Trump’s attempt to subvert its results, there has been an increased focus on the oft overlooked statewide position of secretary of...

Spot the Difference and Other Games Georgia Voters Find Themselves Playing Ahead of Critical Elections

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

In the summer of 2021, Georgia governor Brian Kemp signed into law a series of voting restrictions destined to impact citizen turnout in all upcoming state and federal elections. This legislation...

Does Gerrymandering Present a Lasting Threat to Democracy?

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

While the United States advertises itself as a representative democracy, many voters question the degree to which the United States achieves the democratic ideals of this system. At the forefront of...

Brought to Limelight: How the Pandemic Increased Democratic Backsliding in the USA

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

Democracy was already backsiding in many countries before the pandemic, and the United States is no exception. However, the pandemic brought forth already existing problems from its polarizing...

Voting Rights Reforms Killed in Senate

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

Joe Biden’s first year in office, with respect to his domestic efforts, can be characterized by its unshakable partisan gridlock. This is certainly not a new feature of the modern American...

The Big Lie Is About to Score a Big Steal: The 2024 Presidential Election

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

It has been over a year since this image was burned into the minds of Americans. Many remember the revolting pictures of flames and smoke looming over the Capitol on the evening of January 6th,...

“Election Integrity” in Arizona: How Proposed Legislation Would Threaten Democracy

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

Following the 2020 election, Republican-controlled state legislatures across the country have pushed for restrictive voting measures and other changes to the electoral process. Proponents of these...

Bye-Bye Bipartisanship: The End of Toleration in the Republican Party

Feb 14, 2022 | Boston University

On February 4th, 2022 U.S. Representatives Liz Cheney (R-WY) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) were formally censured by the Republican National Committee for their involvement with the Democrat-led House...